1100 SPORTSTER

[Nick9900]

I have just heard about them. Is this a real thing. This is more for debate than anything between me and a friend.

[Powerglides]

First of the Evo Sportsters, along with the 883. '86 and '87. It was replaced by the 1200 in '88.

[Nick9900]

It was 2 years 86 and 87.. Ok cool thanks

[Hillside Motorcycle]

Those 1100's had very good heads from the Moco.
Scott

[happyman]

seems i recall they have a good  chamber  and a decent sized intake valve.   
happen to have a set i would let go real cheap, they have some issues with  fins, and  finish but  a good  cleaning up  they are  prolly ok..   
for  the day back then they were the cats meow.

[mark61]

for  the day back then they were the cats meow.

That is because the 883 was the kittens mewling!
Definitely a bike for your sister to ride!
mark61

[PC_Hater]

The heads may have been good, but the bike itself was utterly vile.
I had a test-ride on one.
The vibration was appalling. The suspension was poor but hey, that was Hardleys in them days, they were all like that.
The vibes limited me to 70mph max it was that bad. For comparison my worn out 1942 WLA chop is limited to 65mph cruising due to the vibes. But it will do 85 mph for as long as your body can stand it. (not long!)

[happyman]

for  the day back then they were the cats meow.

That is because the 883 was the kittens mewling!
Definitely a bike for your sister to ride!
mark61

seems the 1100 had  the heads that were the what you wanted  back in that day??  not sure if the 883 used the same head.

[andyxlh]

yes they certainly do vibrate - but there should not really be very much difference between the vibes on your 2000 and an '87 I would imagine. Of course they were 4 speed but top is still straight through the transmission. The 5 speeds do have a higher belt/chain ratio which means at high end cruzing a bit more vibes on the '87 but that is very easily changed. the frames are a little different, but mainly in the swingarm mount and shock points. frontend 35 not 39mm also. This will change the handling but not the vibes. Otherwise they are very similar bikes, rigid mount 1200 sportsters all vibrate like a wino on detox! - maybe you have gotten used to it? I do find that the 883's I have ridden vibrate considerably less, i guess to the loweer moving mass of pistons.
I'm pretty sure the 1100 heads are different to the 883 and similar or the same to the ones that Buell used on their early bikes - something about the squish area being better if i remember correctly. I also remember reading about the early 883 heads being better than later ones but I'm not sure. There is an excellent book about all this by Kip Woodring called the sportster performance handbook which details all the changes.

[cyclobutch]

My 1200 was first registered here in the UK in '89, but anything on it I'm seeing that is date stamped shows '88. When I picked it up the vibes suggested that a top wack of around 45 mph would just about be comfortable, but I guess you get used to it. I have cruised her at 85/90 for periods now. Bike seems not to fall apart at those speeds. Not sure what gearing I'm running on the four speed, but I wouldn't want first to be much higher.

[PC_Hater]

Andrews will sell you different gears if you want them...
They do 1st, or 2nd, or 3rd, and full sets of wide ratio, close ratio etc for the 4 speeds.
So you could lower first gear and then fit a bigger pulley.
I cruised my 5 speed 1200 at 95mph for many hours through Spain. The effects of the vibration on my hands had me on anti-inflamatory drugs and pain killers for 6 weeks! Hence the FL for touring and the Sportster for trotting about and short fast runs.

[Hillside Motorcycle]

for  the day back then they were the cats meow.

That is because the 883 was the kittens mewling!
Definitely a bike for your sister to ride!
mark61

We've taken those kittens, and turned them into mountain lions.
At/near 100 hp once done.
Scott